NCAA's attempt to end prop betting to protect student-athletes is a noble, if futile fight

The NCAA wants to put an end to college prop betting, NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement Wednesday.

Pointing to the betting-related issues that have popped up in sports in recent days, Baker said the NCAA is drawing a line “to protect student-athletes and the integrity of the game.” To do that, he said, the organization will be contacting state officials where college props are still offered and asking them to remove those markets.

Though the latest bad press on betting has followed Major League Baseball and Shohei Ohtani, as well as the NBA, the NCAA has faced its own issues in the past, including scandals that rocked Iowa State, Iowa and Alabama. Apparently, it’s all been enough to trigger Baker to seek a nationwide ban on college prop betting, which often includes wagering on an athlete’s individual stats.

The NCAA is almost certainly doing this because it’s terrified of a scandal more than worried about the well-being of its athletes. But it’s nonetheless worth the attempt if banning prop bets has the added benefit of shielding athletes just a little more.

With sports betting on the rise, the NCAA is acting to protect student-athletes from harassment and working to protect the integrity of the game – this week shows why it’s so important to act. pic.twitter.com/krATwpS4hZ

— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) March 27, 2024

It’s no secret the scrutiny and harassment athletes can sometimes face when they fail to make bettors money. Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff shared a disturbing story of bettors getting a hold of his phone number and sending him messages about his kids and where he lives. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton was candid in a recent interview about how people often only view him as a “prop.” None of it is uncommon.

However, while not many people can muster up much sympathy for millionaires paid handsomely to deal with that kind of heckling, most college athletes aren’t making that kind of money. In fact, none of them are paid by the schools that actually employee them. However minimal or not the mental health toll that comes from the harassment of bettors, they’re asked to deal with the same scrutiny without receiving the same benefits as their professional counterparts. Until they are paid like employees, I don’t see why they should have to. The NCAA’s attempt to remove prop markets is just one small step to ease that burden.

Even if the NCAA is successful, removing college props will by no means eliminate disgruntled bettors or end concerns over the integrity of the games. That’s an impossible task. People can still find those markets with illegal sportsbooks if they’re desperate enough, or find copy-cat prop betting on daily fantasy sites. Standard betting can still turn ugly too. However, those are simply fights for another day, not a reason for the NCAA to do nothing if it has the power to eliminate even a small fraction hate players receive. That’s what this does.